Apparatus for making confetti.



G. G. GRIFFIN APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONFETTI.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1011.

1,040,935. Patented 0013.8,1912.

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ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA I LANQGRAPH CO.,WA$HINGTON, n. c.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

G. G. GRIFFIN.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONFETTI.

APPLICATION I'IL UG. 8, 1911.

INVENTOR mh 6 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS GERALD G. GRIFFIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONFETTI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8,1912.

Application filed August 8, 1911. Serial No. 642,981.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD G. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatusfor Making Confetti, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to a new and improved machine for making confettiby cutting up a sheet of paper or cardboard having perforationstherethrough arranged in rows. The perforations may have various shapes,and when the paper is cut up, it is divided along lines joining thecenters of the perforations of each row which extends in one directionand other lines at certain angles thereto.

My invention also comprises a movable head or casting having a number ofknives mounted therein to cut up a sheet of perforated material; andsuitable plungers for holding the material in position when the cuttingoperation is in rogress.

Reference is to be ha to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which the same characters of reference indicatethe same parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side view of a cutting device by means of which myimproved process is carried into execution; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionof the means shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;Fig. 5 is a plan of the spacing plate which supports the cutter knives,and through which the retaining plungers pass; Fig. 6 is a view of asheet of material to be worked, showing the rows of perforationsdiagonally arranged therein; Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section ofone of thecutter knives; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 88of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line 99 ofFig. 8.

On the drawings, the cutting machine by means of which I make confettiby dividing up a sheetof perforated material is shown as being providedwith a base 1, to which a yoke 2 is joined at its lower ends. This yoke2 has a central internally-threaded boss 3; and the base 1 has a numberof lugs 4, preferably four, one at each corner, to facilitate boltingthe cutting machine to a floor or latform. To the base are also joinedad acent the corners thereof, angleshaped upright guides 5, to controlthe movements of a head or casting 6. This head or casting 6 has shoes 7at its corners, which fit the guides 5, so that the head can slide upand down along the same. The head 6 has a number of bores 8 formed inits lower surface, these bores being arranged in a number of straightdiagonal rows, and having their ends terminating in reduced extensions9. These extensions 9 receive plunger rods 10, each of these rods havinga collar 11 thereon to engage a spring 12 contained in the bore 8, tohold the plunger rod in extended position. The lower ends of the bores 8are closed by means of a plate 13, this plate having a number ofperforations 10 therethrough, to give passage to the plunger rods 10,and permit these plunger rods to move up and down, owing to the factthat the springs 8 keep the collars 11 pressed yieldingly against thetop surface of the plate 13.

The plate 18 is provided with a number of holes 14, to receive a numberof shanks 14, which support the cutter blades 15. The apertures 14 arearranged in straight longitudinal and transverse rows, while theapertures 10 are arranged in diagonal rows, so that each of theapertures 14 will be at the center, four equi-distant apertures 10surrounding it, as Fig. 5 clearly shows.

Each of the shanks 14 is made hollow for the greater portion of itslength, and has slots formed therein to receive the cutter blades 15.These slots are preferably ninety degrees apart, and are so shaped thatthey widen inward, the backs of the cutter blades 15 being wedge-shaped,so that when they are slid into place from the lower end of the shankthey cannot be displaced by being pulled out laterally. The lower end ofthe shank has a reduced threaded extension to receive aninternally-threaded cap 17 on the end of a rod or stem 16. This rod orstem is inserted into the hollow portion of the shank 14: and when thecap 17 is screwed upon the threaded extension of the shank, the rod 16is held in place. The rod keeps the blades 15 in extended position withrespect to the shank 14; and the 'cap 17 engages the inner shoulders 18adjacent the lower ends of the blades 15, and thus prevents the blades15 from sliding longitudinally of the stem 14, and dropping out of thegrooves.

. the plate 20, so that the perforations 23 will L clalm as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent:

Each of the blades 15 has a diagonal cutting edge 19 formed on its lowerend, the outerend of each edge being in advance of the inner end, in thedirection of the working movement of the blade; and these cutting edgesare designed to pass freely through diagonal slots 21. formed in a plate20 supported by the base 1 of the cutting machine. This plate receives asheet of perforated material. 22 having perforations 23 therein arrangedin diagonal rows. When this sheet is laid upon the plate 20, theperforations 23 will lie at the center of each radiating group of slots21. For example, the center 23 of one of the perforations on Fig. 6 willcoincide with the dot 21 at the center of the radiating group of slotsat the upper right-hand corner of the plate 20 shown on Fig. t; and thecenters of the other perforations in the plate 22 will occupycorresponding positions. The points 24 arranged in the center of eachgroup of four perforations 23 in the plate 22 will coincide with points24 on the plate 21 which lie between the radiating groups of slots; andthese points 24 mark the engagement of the spring-pressed plunger rods11 which hold the plate or sheet of material 22 in place when it isbeing cut up.

25 is an operating rod which is threaded and passes through the boss 3.It hasa head 25 on its lower end, which is loosely received in a socket26 in the top of the casting 6; and 26 is a perforated plate whichcloses the socket 26 and prevents the separation of the rod 25 andcasting 6, while allowing the rod 25 to turn freely with respect to thecasting. A hand-wheel 27 is secured on the outer end of the rod, sothat, when the wheel 27 turns, the rod 25 turns, and the casting can beraised or lowered.

In operation, the sheet 22 is laid upon lie at the center of one of theradiating groups of slots 21. The wheel 27 will be turned to lower thehead or casting 6, until the plunger rods 11 engage the sheet 22 at thepoints 24. these rods normally extending downward slightly below theends of the cutter blades 15; and as the lowering of the head or casting6 is continued, the springs 8 will permit the rods 11 to give slightly,the pressure of the springs on the rod serving to hold the sheet inproper position and prevent it from getting displaced. As the head orcasting 6 continues its downward movement, the blades 15 cut the sheet22 along diagonal lines between the perforations 23,.passing through thesheet and through the slots 21. The head or casting 6 is now raised byturning the wheel 27 in the opposite direction, withdrawing the knives15, the plunger 11 remaining in contact with p the sheet 22 until thecutter knives are lifted above the same; and thus the pieces of paperinto which the sheet is cut up are prevented While I have shown anddescribed the 7 above apparatus as designed chiefly for the manufactureof confetti, I may employ it for the manufacture of artificial flowersas well. To do so it would be only necessary to obtain a sheet 22 havingperforations 23 therein of such a shape as to give a flowerlike sectionwhen the sheet is divided by the knife blades 15, discarding such wastepieces as might of necessity result in arranging the perforations andthe knife blades to cut out the sections of material for artificialflowers of the shape desired.

While the wheel 27 is shown and described as a hand-wheel, it is obviousthat the threaded shank 25 may be operated by mechanical power or byfoot power if desired.

It is to be understood that the plate 20 is movably supported by thebase 1, to enable it to be taken out, either by sliding or lifting itoff the base, in order to place a sheet of material to be cut up thereonor to remove the sections after the sheet has been divided by the knifeblades in the manner above described. I prefer to arrange the 4 plate 20so that it can be removed by sliding, and to this end I provide the base1 with raised edges on three sides, so that the operator can slide theplate into position from the fourth side, as shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention, I

1. Apparatus for making confetti, comprising a head or casting, aplurality of cut ter elements projecting from one face of said casting,resilient means projecting from the same face of the head or castingbeyond the Tends of the cutter elements, said resilient means beinginterspersed among the cutter elements, and means for moving said heador casting toward a sheet of paper or cardboard, to out said sheet intopieces of the proper size and shape, said resilient means engaging thematerial to be worked before and after cutting, to hold the sheet downwhile being cut, and to prevent the knives from displacing the pieceswhen they are being withdrawn after the cutting is finished.

2. Apparatus for making confetti, comprising a head or casting, aplurality of knives projecting from one face of said casting, aplurality of spring-pressed plungers projecting from the same face ofthe head or casting beyond the ends of the knives, said rods or plungersbeing interspersed among the knife blades, and means for moving saidhead or casting toward a sheet of paper or cardboard, to out said sheetinto pieces of the proper size and shape, said plungers engaging thematerial to be worked before and after cutting, to hold the sheet downwhile being cut, and to prevent the knives from displacing the pieceswhen they are being withdrawn after the cutting is finished.

3. Apparatus for manufacturing confetti, comprising a head or casting,guides in which the said head or casting is mounted to be moved, aplurality of knives carried by and projecting from one face of saidcasting, a plurality of spring-pressed plungers projecting from the saidface of the casting beyond the ends of the knives, said plungers beinginterspersed among the knives, a guide plate having slots therein toreceive the ends of the knife blades, and means for moving said castingtoward said guide plate, whereby a sheet of paper or other material onsaid guide plate will be engaged by the plungers and severed into piecesof the proper size and shape by the knives, said plungers also servingto hold the pieces against displacement when the knives are withdrawn.

4. In apparatus for making confetti, a supporting member comprising ahollow shank having slots extending through its sides, said slots beingwider adjacent their inner than adjacent their outer edges, a pluralityof knife blades adapted to be received by said slots, said blades eachhaving a shoulder and a diagonal cutting edge adjacent one end, saidshank having a reduced screw-threaded extension adjacent the cuttingedges of the blades, and a stem having an internally threaded cap to beinserted into said shank, to bring the cap into engagement with thescrew-threaded extension and the shoulders of the knife blades, to holdthe latter in place.

5. In apparatus for making confetti, a supporting member comprising ahollow shank having longitudinal slots in its sides, said slots beingwider adjacent their inner than adjacent their outer edges, a pluralityof knife blades adapted to be received by said slots, and means engagingthe lower ends of said knife blades and said shank, to hold the knivesin place in said shank.

6. Apparatus for making confetti, comprising a head or casting, aplurality of knives projecting from one face of said casting, saidknives being arranged in groups, the members of which radiate from acommon center, a plurality of spring-pressed plungers projecting fromthe same face of the head or casting beyond the ends of the knives, saidrods or plungers being interspersed among said knives, and means formoving said head or casting toward a sheet of paper or cardboard, to cutsaid sheet into pieces of the proper size and shape, said plungersengaging the material to be worked before and after cutting, to hold thesheet down while being cut, and to prevent the knives from displacingthe pieces when they are withdrawn after the cutting is finished.

7. Apparatus for manufacturing confetti, comprising a head or casting,guides in which the said head or casting is mounted to be moved, aplurality of knives carried by and projecting from one face of saidcasting, said knives being arranged in groups, the members of whichradiate from a common center, a plurality of spring-pressed plungersprojecting from the said face of the casting beyond the ends of theknives, said plungers being interspersed among the knives, a guide platehaving slots therein to receive the ends of the knife blades, and meansfor moving said casting toward said guide plate, whereby a sheet ofpaper or other material on said guide plate will be engaged by theplungers and severed into pieces of the proper size and shape by theknives, said plungers also serving to hold the pieces againstdisplacement when the knives are withdrawn.

8. Apparatus for manufacturing confetti, comprising a head or casting,guides in which the said head or casting is mounted to be moved, aplurality of knives carried by and projecting from one face of saidcasting, a plurality of resilient means projecting from the said face ofthe casting beyond the ends of the knives, said resilient means beinginterspersed among the knives, a guide plate having slots therein toreceive the ends of the knife blades, and means for moving said castingtoward said guide plate, whereby a sheet of paper or other material onsaid guide plate will be engaged by the resilient means and severed intopieces of the proper size and shape by the knives, said resilient meansalso serving to hold the pieces against displacement when the knives arewithdrawn.

9. Apparatus for making confetti, comprising a head or casting, aplurality of knives projecting from one face of said cast-' ing, saidknives being arranged in groups, the members of which radiate from acommon center, a plurality of resilient means projecting from the sameface of the head or casting beyond the ends of the knives, saidresilient means being interspersed among said knives, and means formoving said head or casting toward a sheet of paper or cardboard, to cutsaid sheet into pieces of the proper size and shape, said resilientmeans engaging the material to be worked before and after cutting, tohold the sheet down While being cut, and to prevent the knives fromdisplacing the pieces When they are Withdrawn after the cutting isfinished.

10. Apparatus for manufacturing confetti, comprising a head or casting,guides in Which the said head or casting is mounted to be moved, aplurality of knives carried by and projecting from one face of saidcasting, said knives being arranged in groups, the members of Whichradiate from a common center, a plurality of resilient means projectingfrom the said face of the casting beyond the ends of the knives, saidresilient means being interspersed among the knives, a guide platehaving slots therein to receive the ends of the knife blades, and meansfor moving said casting toward said guide plate, whereby a sheet ofpaper or other material on said guide plate Willbe engaged by theresilient means and severed into pieces of the proper size and shape bythe knives, said resilient means also serving to hold the pieces againstdisplacement When the knives are Withdrawn.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

GERALD G. GRIFFIN.

Witnesses W. L. ORTON, PHILIP D. R-OLLHAUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C.

